Tag Archive | Hazel Rose

July

Summer time and the livin’ is…… Darned HOT! We actually hit 102 a couple days ago. I don’t remember ever seeing that up here. We have had 100 a c0uple times but never above it. And now tho it is cooler today (94) I’m hearing thunder rolling in the not too far distance. Keep your fingers X-ed that it’s also wet. Chances for that not great, tho, I’m afraid.

But the garden is lovin’ it!

My Sweet potato experiment. Dunno if I’ll get any spuds but the plants are doing fine. I keep them under this hood for the extra warmth. Keep your fingers X-ed for us!

The squashes are also doing fine.

And there’s tomatoes getting nicely fat.

The rest is looking good, too, from the cabbages and chard to the gloriosa’s and the bee balm which the hummers just love!

I do have weaving projects going but they are all big ones and going are to take awhile.

Hope you’re having a fun and safe and not too hot 4th!

Our Summer Trip

Jun23

We’re home again. Two weeks on the road is at least a week too much! lol We had a great time and met lots of people and made some new weavers and increased the stash for some others. Here’s one weaver who brought her project to BSG to share. Love that! Also the one from last year at OFFF. Pat Cane does some extra by weaving in strands of the opposite colors to blend her triangles very cleverly together. Isn’t it lovely?! I love seeing the projects you all weave!

I made a new doll dress with squares I wove demoing the looms here at the show, too. And met another Dolly weaver who bought my pattern book. Nanette has promised to share when she gets something made for her Granddaughter! Here’s mine.

But besides the two shows, Big Sky Fiber Festival in Hamilton. Montana and Black Sheep Gathering in Eugene, Oregon, we visited the country along the way. I have so many pictures I could not possibly share them all but here’s a few. What a beautiful country we live in!

On our way up we stopped at an alkali lake in Eastern Oregon. A “rain” storm and a sunset.

Then we picnicked on top of the world in Montana.

On the way back we camped in a great park on a lake near Sandpoint, Idaho.

And I almost got a photo of the paddle wheeler on the Columbia Gorge coming home, on the border of Oregon and Washington. We were in Oregon, looking back at Washington across the way. I took this out the truck window across the railroad tracks.

We had a great trip but, as always are glad to be home. the garden has gone wild with summer coming on so will have some catching up to do there and are working hard to get orders shipped out as well. Randy has looms to make and contractor jobs to do as well. But we’re home now until September…

Hope your summer is filled with fun and not too hot!

Getting ready

May18

We’ll be leaving for Nampa, Idaho on Friday so are busy getting thing organized. If you pardon my using that word in is loosest sense! Well, Himself is Organized. I’m just hoping for the best, organization not being one of my strongest traits. But I am making lists.

Meantime, I have had interest in the Baby Wolf but no one so far has claimed it. We will not load it up unless someone asks us to bring it along.

And we’re getting the garden in while it is rainy and a little cooler, giving things a good start. I’m trying some Alaskan corn this year. We never get a good corn crop as it just is not warm enough here but this one claims it likes it a bit cooler. It seems to be doing well so far! X your fingers for it!

Corn

And the roses are as lush and beautiful as ever! My deck looks like there’s been a wedding with all the petals there!

If you get a chance to come to Fiber Train in Nampa, I do hope you’ll come by and see us. This is our first year there with the looms and we are looking forward to visiting this historical city.

Spring

May8

It’s the 8th of May and the roses are in full bloom. Definitely an early spring. A little cool this week and windy but still getting a lot of gardening done. My Alaskan corn is up and growing. this is going to be an interesting experiment. It is a small corn designed to grow in adverse conditions. I think the weather this year qualifies for that! But I thought that if it is successful in Alaska it ought to produce a couple ears down here. X your fingers!

Meantime,. I have not made any progress on the demo vest. I am thinking I may just give up and do the cut and sew. At least I’d have a vest I could wear. I don’t suppose everything has to be a big challenge, some thing can just be easy, huh? And I got out my bag of squares which I think are wool or silk or…? I’

ve forgotten, only that they are not likely to be machine washable. I am putting a couple things though the gentle cycle this morning and am adding one each of these blocks just to determine what will happen. If they dont’ entirely ruin, I will go from there. I am thinking another vest. This one ought to be lighter weight, tho, more fit for cool summer mornings and evenings.

Meantime back to spring… the rhubarb is also ready! I’m not a fan of strawberries with it but I made it half and half with a couple sweet apples and it is just yummy! Tamed the Rhubarb a bit and gave the apples a little jazz. We’ve made big holes in two pies so far and I have the makin’s for a 3rd! I think I’ll wait until next week with that one as sis is planning a trip down.

Done

Apr13

The Neon shirt is finished. I sewed the patched together and then pinned and sewed them to the shirt. Like a big applique. Then I cut out the neckline and hemmed it. Is this a kind of vest look? Maybe if it was longer, but in any case I wanted the neckline just a tince higher than the patches would be. It’s been washed and held up well.

Next project.

Apr11

Got this Tee at a fair last year, forgot which. Did not work with the yarn I had in mind so am now using this neon Simply Soft acrylic to weave on the Tiny Weaver square. It’ll be another yoke for a top. Has to be machine washable for me. I think it’s going to work. I wove the blocks and am now working a single crochet around each one. I think I will then just sew them together with an overhand stitch. Not exactly camo, huh?! Much as i enjoyed the natural covers of my last project, I thought it was time for something Bright!

More cardigan progress

Mar29

I finished weaving the tris for the sleeve yesterday and as I had the sewing machine set up for something else, I decided to take advantage of this cool morning to put it to use again.

The woven blocks for the sweater, pin the pattern carefully over. I guess I didn’t get the photo, but next sew at the edges. Use lots of pins and give you fabric support. You want it to lay flat so it doesn’t distort. Remember this one is bias woven.

Once you have sewn all around in a contrasting color (it’s not going to show) carefully cut just outside the stitching.

Pin closely! The more the better, especially on any bias squares that have not been stay stitched. The sleeve did okay, but sewing up the sides needed lots of pins. Again, support your fabric so it does not stretch or distort. In fact, if this is your first project of this type, it may be a good idea to baste all of these seams and try the garment on, to be sure things are as they should be before committing it to the machine which is Much harder to undo.

And here it is with the sleeves in.

What’s left is the front button bands and the cuffs. However… Being the mature figger that I am, it is a little snug around the… er… hem. So I think I may have to add a bit in a A-line sort of way, to the front placket first. Have not quite thought that out yet, so still more waiting before I have a finished item. Still, making progress by leaps and bounds!

Do any of you have projects to show me? I’d love to feel I’m not all alone here!

Meantime, a little fun project!

Mar28

The windsock I made in April of 2008 has finally did what the plastic bag makers told us they would. It’s on it’s way back to it’s component parts. I tried to save it, but it was falling to bits as I worked . Then my eye fell on the basket of yarn snippets and scraps. The birds have never shown any interest is using this lovely nesting material so….

You can see that there were all sorts of bits in the basket, lace to bulky, wool, acrylic, mohair, cotton… I picked randomly and decided on the spot if it was long enough. It’s mostly pieces from about 4″ to several yards in one case. And I decided that the knots were a design element so pulled them all to the right side.

But the knot-less side looks good, too. The green is a square I wove for the one that just ‘died’. If you have a stash of fairly young bags they do make light and fluttery wind socks. Mine lasted 7 years. I have no idea how long the yarn one is going to last. They all get exposed to all sorts of weather.

And here it is out on the maple with the remaining plastic bag one. I still have a small ball of this knotted yarn so there might be more coming. After the cardigan is finished, of course!

March-ing into spring…

Mar5

Nothing to report on the sweater. I think I needed a break from brown yarn. Too much brown in the world this time of the year, anyway. Things are starting to green up and I’m sure I can see a faint bit of pink in the buds on the peach tree. The flowering quince is definitely blooming now & there are even two tiny daffodils blooming out there in the brown.

I have done some weaving but for the dolls. Little things. A KAL for Your Favorite Season. What would it be this time of year but Summer! Lexi is wearing Summer Nights and little Felicity is in the Sunshine. The skirts are the woven bits. Some Wildfoote sock yarn for Lexi’s and lace weight for Felicity’s to warp the first three layers and then woven with Lion Brand Trellis. I used the 4″ and did o1, u1 for Felicity’s skirt, which is two squares and a knitted bodice. Lexi’s short skirt is three 6″ Multi Squares and I did hers in o3, u1 which gave it a really interesting texture and showed more of the colored squares, I think. I rather like the effect and since I have a couple more balls of this stuff (I think I bought 6 in a package at the dollar store a couple years ago) I may have to come up with another project for it.

These are busy days, even if I have been ignoring brown. Randy is working long hours in the looms shop, (which means I am also) and we are trying to get the garden ready as it looks like spring is coming on early and dry here this year. We also signed up for 6 fiber fair shows this summer. The first one, a new venue for us, in Nampa, Idaho in May. then we’ll be in Hamilton, MT & Eugene, OR in June and Arcata, CA, Boonesville, CA and Canby, OR in September.

I think I am going to sell my Baby Wolf Loom and it’s accessories. If anyone is interested we can bring it along to any of the shows. I don’t want to haul it around on speculation as even tho it is a small loom, it still takes up a lot of space in the 5th wheel. If you’re interested email for details. The loom works fine, I’ve woven a few times on it but I just don’t have the time or space for it. I still prefer my little looms.

Hope you’re seeing a bright end of winter where you are.

A UK Weaver

Feb13

Jacqueline Bell of the UK shared some photos of her work with us recently and gave me permission to re-post the pictures. This woman does wonderfully creative work. Her workmanship is as superb as her design abilities. Cushions And last, a blanket Jacky said was made in the 1950’s by family members using the old Weave-it looms. This weaver has promised me more photos of her work to share and inspire! I love seeing the wonderful work weavers are making with the looms. Makes the long hours out in the shop seem worthwhile! Happy Weaving!